Hidden Gems
by TheDarkBecomesYou
Summary: After witnessing the devastation of a new weapon, one that will level the playing field for the Resistance, Rose discovers the unconscious body of General Hux and in a moment of guilt, decides to smuggle him back to the Resistance and nurse him back to health.
1. Chapter 1

**HIDDEN GEMS**

_Full many a gem of purest ray serene_

_The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:_

_Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,_

_And waste its sweetness on the desert air._

— _Thomas Gray_

**Rose Tico surveyed the crumpled heaps of blackened metal and ravaged husks of what had been—not that long ago—a fully functioning Star Destroyer. It was asphalt grey amidst a sea of grass and trees, red-orange fires blazing all around. It was devastation, nothing less. **

**Seeing such a mighty vessel of destruction split open and all its insides laid bare across miles of jungle, did very little to put her at ease. If anything, the pieces of still sizzling computer components and the wreckage of chrome and durasteel made her feel oddly sad. Scared too. But incredibly morose, even for knowing that the ship had brought death to thousands and done it ten thousand times over. Destroying lives. Her friends, their lives to be specific. And not just her friends. Her sister's too. **

**At the thought of Paige, her eyes prickled with tears. Tears, she blinked away, because—because she had a job to do, that's why. She hadn't spent more than ten minutes thinking about Paige since she had cried her eyes out while they tried to escape the First Order. Right before she met Finn. **

_**Finn**_**. He always made her smile. Once she had thought she was in love with him. Now she knew better. **

**It had been nearly a year since Paige died. Give or take a few cycles. And Rose had only just been starting to feel a bit more like herself. Paige had died, and Rose had lived. And that was all that had mattered. **

**The grass crunched uncomfortably underneath her boots as she trekked toward the largest piece of wreckage. She didn't like the way it felt underfoot. Like she hadn't quite earned this victory. Like there were lives lost that would have to be repaid in some way. **

**People from Hays Minor had a specific way of repaying debts. Specifically, life debts. But she would think about that later. And she would wrestle with the guilt of this situation then as well. **

**It took her nearly 20 minutes to find the control deck of the **_**Finalizer**_**. It lay among a heap of debris that was still very hot, so hot she wasn't able to climb over. She had to walk around, and that made the hike even longer.**

**When she finally did arrive at the vestige of the First Order's former glory, she almost breathed a sigh of relief. That was until she saw the bodies. They were Stormtroopers and officers, the EMP hadn't distinguished between the two. They lay strewn about the wreckage. Or, at least, bits of them did. A few intact remains, but many that were only part of what they had been. She thanked the Stars for a moment that Finn was not among them. She was thankful he hadn't come with her on this mission. He was safe with Poe. **

_**Where he ought to be.**_** She reminded herself. She shook her head at the thoughts as she stepped over a burned officer. **

"**H—help—me," the officer reached out toward her, though she doubted he could really see anything. Not with the blank stare he held. **

**So, she sat with him a moment, grasping his gloved hand as he breathed his last. **

**The lump in her throat tightened. She thought she might feel better, being part of the team. Being able to come here and try out her invention. Now she knew. This wasn't what she wanted. She never wanted to see something like this again. Not ever. She would like to remain a mechanic, working on the ships. Nothing more. **

_**Had she avenged Paige?**_** She didn't know to be honest. **_**Would Paige be satisfied with this decimation of the First Order?**_** Or had Rose only provided herself with more grisly images with which to wake herself in the night? More apparitions of doom? **

**Whatever the case, Rose Tico continued her way to the command deck. She would not could not neglect her mission. **

**Just as she reached the command deck, her comm buzzed on her belt. She unhooked it and pressed the button to receive the call, uncertain that she would actually be able to formulate any words. **

"**This is a game changer!" Finn exclaimed wildly over the comm. **

**She could vaguely hear Poe's hooting in the background. But she didn't feel quite like celebrating. Not after witnessing what it could do. Perhaps Poe had felt a thrill when he'd shot down his first TIE fighter, but not her. She'd always considered the loss of life. Always worried about who was left at home. Like her, with Paige. Someone would be mourning this loss too. **

"**Yep," she replied. It was all she could think to say. **

"**You okay?" Finn asked, presumably sensing something in her tone. **

"**Yeah," she said quietly. "It's just—it looks so much worse from here."**

"**I know Rose," Finn said softly. "Just get in and get the info we need, then head back to your shuttle okay?"**

"**You're not coming to escort me?"**

"**No, we couldn't chance the First Order recognizing our ships. They're bound to be on their way by now. So, you need to hurry."**

**She found herself nodding absently, even though she knew he couldn't see her. **

"**Okay," she whispered, then clicked the comm off. **

**The deck was still on fire, blazing hot as she rushed inside, looking for the computer console. She found it quickly enough. Finn had told her what it would look like and she trusted him. Once she located it, she slipped the data drive inside, thanking the Stars that the console was still operational. She leaned against the console with one hand, allowing the information to transfer as she studied the hull of the ship. It was so much larger than she'd realized. She'd been aboard the **_**Supremacy**_** and knew how big the First Order ships could be, but this—this was still something else entirely. Especially when she realized that she had been the one to bring it down, to bring the **_**Finalizer**_** down. **

_**Her**_**. **_**Rose Tico.**__**Resistance Hero?**_

_**Blink! Blink! **_

**The data had transferred quickly, and suddenly she was reminded that she was alone again in the belly of a ship that made her feel like she'd done something wrong. **_**She shouldn't, though, right? They'd killed people.**_

_**NO. **_

_**They'd murdered people. **_

**She resigned herself to her duty and this was all just part of that duty. **

**She pulled the data-drive out of the console and pocketed it quickly. She needed to get out of here. There was painful creaking above her that told her the ceiling might collapse soon. Turning to make her way back out of the ship, she saw another body lying only a few feet away. **

**The body was caked in ash and debris and was lying on its side. Dried blood ran down the length of the face, and Rose couldn't help the unsettling feeling that she recognized the person, or the face. She just couldn't place it. **

_**Oh well. It was dead anyway. **_

**But a painful feeling of guilt twisted inside her and suddenly she turned from her decided path to walk numbly over to it. She just had to make sure it was dead. **

**She couldn't tell if it was breathing, but then she saw an eyelid flutter, and she almost screamed. It wasn't dead. **_**He**_** wasn't dead. She should kill him, put him out of his misery**_**, shouldn't she?**_** As quietly as she could manage, she unclipped the blaster at her side and leveled it at him. **

_**Squeeze the trigger, you can do it.**_** She told herself. She needed to put him down. **

**Her finger started to press the trigger, she had resigned herself to this, to ending him.  
**

**Right when she'd heard **_**his**_** voice. And she'd recognized it instantly. Who could forget that cold expression, that decisive tone of judgment? She'd even bitten him once, and right now she wished she'd taken the whole finger. **

**But when she heard what he said, she faltered. **

"**Thee—-the stormtrooper program—the children—they—," he gasped, wheezed. And so did she when she heard him speak. "Get them out—they're on board." He was struggling to say something **more as he tried to pull **himself up from the floor of his ship. **

"**They're all dead," she said, kneeling next to him, hoping he would just die and let her get on with her mission. **

"**No, no—," he wailed in torment, "not the children, no, they were supposed to be safe." **

**Something in his voice cracked, and Rose watched as he sat up, swaying. Something wet brimmed behind his eyes, then tears began streaming down his cheeks. **

"**I was supposed to keep them safe," he said, his voice breaking with every word. His eyelids fluttered again, and Rose was certain he would fall over dead at any moment. "I failed."**

**He did collapse, back down onto the hard durasteel of the floor. But she heard the distinct sound of sobs as he pressed his face into his sleeve. Rose studied him warily.**

_**Was this all an act?**_** She wouldn't have thought General Hux even possessed the ability to cry. **

**She stopped. He'd fallen silent, quietly gasping into his sleeve and in that moment, she knew she couldn't leave him.**


	2. Chapter 2

******Hidden Gems**

**Chapter 2**

**Hux.**

They were in the outer rim, as near to wild space as they could travel without entering the unknown reaches. It was a routine scouting mission, one that wouldn't take much of General Armitage Hux's time away from his other, more pressing work.

The Stormtrooper program.

The Supreme Leader Kylo Ren had approved his continued involvement as a reward and Hux would not take such duties lightly. The _Finalizer_ was home to over one-thousand younglings, each of whom was preparing for battle. Often the General could be found among them, observing the younglings, or even speaking to them on occasion, when he was not busy about the bridge. He'd found something there, some spark of similarity between himself and the children as he too had once been a homeless youth striving to make his way within the ranks of the First Order. And just like these children, he also had been forgotten by his parents.

But he wasn't below with the children, not when the EMP hit. No, if he had been, then he surely would be dead.

Instead, he'd been on the bridge, overlooking the vast blue-green of the forested world below. Supposedly this planet, Pa'aserra, was home to a Resistance base, though presumably a smaller outpost. There didn't appear to be any other crafts orbiting the planet. What's more, the scans of the globe showed very few lifeforms. If their information was good, they could proceed with landing troops and scanning the entire planet by hand. A tedious process, but a safer method to uncover potential resistance pockets hidden about the landscape.

And just when the General felt confident to give the order to send out ground troops, they were hit with something. Though 'hit' would've been a strong word. Rather, they were drifting through space when something like a tidal wave washed over their vessel, sending the entire ship into the dark.

That's when things suddenly clicked uncomfortably in Hux's mind. The intel they'd received—there wasn't a Resistance base at all—It was a trap.

Everything slid out of focus. The lights shuddered only briefly, and then they went out. Hux skittered across the floor from the awkward movements as the Finalizer lurched forward in space, drawn down by some invisible hand.

"Engine failure sir!" Cried, one officer.

"We've lost all systems, General!" Screamed another.

Life support and artificial gravity systems were also out. The air had become thick and difficult to inhale and Hux wheezed as he tried to regain control of his vessel. But, everything was rising up up up. And then everything was falling.

And his last worry as the vessel spiraled out of control? His final panicked realization?

_The Stormtrooper Program._

There was a strange reverberation as the _Finalizer_ broke through the planet's atmosphere, careening sideways.

Then Hux's vision went black.

—

When he woke, he was staring squarely into the barrel of a blaster. It did nothing to faze him, he would die today. He'd known that, but—but what about the younglings? He tried to focus his eyes on the face of the person holding the blaster, but his vision swam. There was a terrible ringing in his ears, and he couldn't make out the sounds around him.

He heard his own voice calling out, crying for the younglings, and then the quiet response as the person lowered their weapon and came to kneel beside him. Whatever they said, it wasn't the words that told him what he needed to know. It was the tone.

_Dead._

_They were dead._

_And it was all his fault._

So he did what any sensible person in the same predicament might do, he laid back down and sobbed. Hoping the ship would open up and swallow him whole, or perhaps he could just close his eyes and succumb to the dark void that was pulling him under. Or maybe the Resistance person would put a blaster bolt between his eyes. Either way, he was going to die.

_So why not now?_

—

**Rose.**

Rose watched him quietly, she couldn't just leave him here to die. After all, he appeared to be in better condition than anyone else she'd encountered thus far, and if she could get him medical help. . . He might live.

He'd gone silent, and as she studied him, it took her a moment to realize he had passed out. Either from his injuries or lack of will to remain coherent. No matter. An unconscious companion was a better prospect than an awake one, especially if she was to bring him aboard her ship and take him with her back to the Resistance.

The structure above her groaned again sharply, it wouldn't be long before the ceiling caved. She didn't have much time, so she gripped the General by the lapels of his gaberwool officer's coat and tugged him across the ground. He turned out to be far heavier than she thought he would be, he had looked so skinny, but apparently, he still weighed a substantial bit more than her. Or more than she was used to lifting, which, normally allotted to nothing.

She panted, coming to a halt, out of breath and patience. How was she so tired before she'd even pulled him out of the command deck? She took a moment to regroup before she was able to continue dragging his prone form entirely out of the wreckage. As soon as she did, she heard the grate of metal against metal.

Another few moments and she managed to pull the General to a high piece of wall paneling that was leaning against a broken TIE fighter. The ceiling of the formidable Star Destroyer strained one last time and then collapsed into itself with a piercing screech. Debris flung in every direction, smacking against the makeshift shield of wall paneling and Rose knelt to check on her captive.

Hux was still out, mouth open and quite a picture covered in ash and dirt. His hair was damp and stringy with sweat, blood, and clumps of earth, and Rose couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He'd probably never been this dirty in his entire life.

It took some time for her to lug him back to her waiting shuttle, more time than she had to spare. And once she was inside, she rolled him onto a medical cot and secured him with binders to rails of the makeshift bed. Then she quickly keyed in the ignition code and settled herself into the pilot's chair.

The General was still out cold on the medical cot, so once Rose set the autopilot, she took the time to inspect him thoroughly.

But since he was unconscious, he wasn't able to provide her with any clues as to the extent of his injuries. So she took it upon herself to remove pieces of his clothing to ensure he hadn't suffered any major trauma to his internal organs. She started with the uniform shirt, cutting it open with the medical scissors provided in the standard issue medkit. His chest was smooth and hairless, but for the barely visible trail of golden-orange hair that led from his navel to the fastening of his belt, and probably continued underneath. Rose swallowed, thankful he was asleep and couldn't see the feverish blush of her cheeks.

She pressed lightly against his skin, examining the area like she'd been taught. But to her surprise, she found him to be mostly alright. Bruised no doubt, but he only appeared to have a dislocated shoulder. She opted to leave his boots on until he was awake, and she could determine if his legs had been damaged at all during the crash.

He groaned in his sleep, shivering slightly, and he looked so pale and hurt that she couldn't help but feel a pang of something. She squared her shoulders, _no no no_. He was a First Order soldier, and she would not let herself feel sorry for him again. If anything, saving him was more than he deserved. She almost sighed in relief as she covered him with an emergency blanket, tucking it in around him and dashed back to her pilot's chair, thankful that she hadn't brought anyone along with her on this mission. But then again that left the awful decision to her alone. What _was_ she going to do with him?

She couldn't bring herself to kill him at the moment, not when he looked so distraught and not when he was worried about children for star's sake.

_Should she turn him over to the Resistance?_ And if she did, would they torture him? She found she didn't like that idea at all. Though she wasn't sure why she should even care, it wasn't like he'd been particularly kind to her when she had been caught by the First Order. He had taunted her and made fun of her homeworld, she frowned.

On top of that, she didn't know if Poe or General Organa would even really do something like torture. But after seeing the destruction up close and personally this way, she wasn't entirely certain what was beneath them. They were fighting for their survival, after all.

She wasn't sure she quite liked any of the ideas scrambling around in her brain. Yes, he was an enemy. But—but, she couldn't precisely explain the strong compulsion she held to keep this secret to herself. Perhaps it was because she'd already seen so much death and destruction in one day that witnessing any more might be unbearable. Or maybe, the small voice in the back of her head thought she might like to help him. She'd seen something in him, at that moment when he'd wept for the younglings. And while it might be foolhardy, it still gave her the smallest measure of hope.

And then there was the way they repaid debts on Hays Minor. A life for a life to many, but so much more to Rose Tico. This was her moment to give back for what she'd callously taken only hours before. For the lives, she took when she'd used her EMP invention to cripple the _Finalizer_ and bring it down. She owed the universe this one life, didn't she?

She glanced back at the sleeping face of the General. He looked peaceful enough, for having been in such anguish only a little while ago. But his face was still covered in ash and sweat so she searched throughout the shuttle until she found a small rag she could wet. Then she stood over him, wiping the ash away with the warm cloth until he looked more the like he did when she'd first met him. When he'd picked up her necklace and made that nasty comment about her home planet.

At that moment she'd wanted to stab him through the horrid smirk on his pale face. But now, though she still felt something as she looked down at him, it wasn't exactly the murderous feeling she'd had before. It was something else. Some sort of guilt mixed with sadness. He was an evil man, this she knew. But there was something very sad about what had happened to him today. That out of all the people aboard his mighty ship, he'd been the only one to survive. A cruel twist of fate.

He shivered in his sleep again, and Rose realized he must still be chilly. Space was a cold place, and she was dressed for the voyage, but he was not. Well, he would have been if she hadn't cut his shirt open. Though even with his gaberwool coat, and the extra blanket, he looked frail.

She settled back into the pilot's chair and closed her eyes. She had almost a full day cycle and one jump to lightspeed to decide what to do with him. But whatever she chose to do with him, she would have to decide before they arrived at the Resistance base.

—

**Hux**.

It was the middle of the night cycle when Hux opened his eyes. Everything was blurry, and his head throbbed, and nothing would come into focus. He was lying on something firm, not firm enough to be his bed aboard the _Finalizer_ but hard, nonetheless. The blinking lights and whirring noises hit him finally as he realized suddenly, he wasn't aboard the _Finalizer_. The colors were all wrong, no, he was on some other vessel. His heart pounded as he tried to sit up and felt pain lancing through one arm while the other didn't seem to want to obey.

It took significant effort to rotate his head to the left and right to see what lay around him in the dark. And it took even more effort for his eyes to focus on the blinking lights around him. It was definitely another ship, not a First Order model of any type he recognized. Though he had to admit that he probably wouldn't be able to identify any vessel at the moment, his brain didn't seem to want to function properly.

"He—ello?" His voice came out in a choked gasp. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

His heart pounded rapidly in his chest as he listened for a response. He heard a sharp intake of breath, like someone waking from slumber and then a groan and the cracking of limbs. His captor shifted in a seat some ways away from him, he couldn't see, couldn't turn his head to find them.

There was a light clicking, or tapping noise, the sound of footsteps on plastetic flooring. And then he was looking up into a dark silhouette of someone. A humanoid, he determined.

"You're awake?" The voice was gentle but heavy with sleep. "I thought you'd be out for days. But, you're pretty scrappy for being such a pri—proper guy."

"Who—who are you?" Hux asked, trying to steady the waver in his voice.

"Oh," the voice replied, surprised. "You don't remember me, huh? I'm not sure if I should be insulted or relieved."

"I can't see you," Hux replied sharply. "It's too dark, why are all the lights off?"

"Because I wanted you to sleep," his captor answered in annoyance. "But if you insist on the lights, then fine."

There was a click, and then it was too bright, Hux's head throbbed in pain, and he shut his eyes quickly.

"Too bright."

"You asked for it," the voice said. "So, uh, how are you feeling?"

Hux slowly reopened his eyes, giving himself a moment to adjust to the light. "I—I'm fine."

"Right," the voice replied. "Sure, you are. Whatever, you know, I'm just trying to help."

_Help_.

That word, Hux decided was dangerous. He grimaced, "My shoulder it's—"

"Dislocated, I know," she said. _She_. Hux could finally make her out, even though the light was behind her and her face was still mostly in darkness. And it took him only a moment to realize that he did indeed know her. In fact, he remembered her very well.

"_You_," he snarled viciously. "I remember you. You were with FN-2187 aboard the _Supremacy_."

The girl looked unamused. "Good. I'm glad you remember. Guess that means you understand you're now a prisoner of the Resistance."

Hux tried to sit up, lunge at her, but one arm wouldn't move, and the other was encased in binders linked directly to the handrails of his makeshift bed. "You bit me!" He all but growled.

Her mouth quirked, "Yeah, so what? You tried to have me executed."

"You're Resistance scum—"

"And _now_ you're a Resistance prisoner, okay?" She cut him off, hands on her hips and looking down at him like he was some kind of rodent. "You better start behaving, things could get much worse for you, you know."

"Worse than losing all my men?" He asked, his throat tightening suddenly and hot wetness threatening the corners of his eyes.

"Don't pretend like you really care about anyone but yourself," she snapped, but then she looked away quickly.

"There were younglings aboard my ship," he said calmly, though inside his blood was beginning to boil. "Fifteen-hundred younglings."

The girl's eyes darted from his face and then down to the ground, "That many?" The words were barely a whisper.

"That doesn't even account for the rest of my officers and soldiers," Hux replied harshly.

There was a profound silence, where the girl wouldn't look at him, only down at the ground but Hux couldn't stop looking at her. He remembered her defiance, her strength, and how much he'd wanted to crush that strength. He'd tried to stamp it out into the ground when he first met her, and then she'd bitten him. And for the first time in his life, Armitage Hux had felt that he'd met his match.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hidden Gems**

**Chapter 3**

**Hux. **

He stared up at her, wishing momentarily that he could tower over her like he had on the _Supremacy_. It was frustrating to be relegated to only a bed. He liked the feeling it gave him, the power he possessed when he loomed over someone. Though he hadn't been thick and broad-chested like his father, he could at least add height to his advantage.

For a moment, she wouldn't look at him. When finally she did meet his eyes, she did it shyly for an instant before the softness disappeared and she glared back at him defiantly.

_Yes, there it was. There was the fire he'd seen before. The one he'd wanted to stamp out._

Something loud and blaring echoed through the cockpit, signaling a transmission of some kind, causing them both to blink. And just like that, the spell was broken. They were both too stubborn to lose and so it would have to be a draw.

"I need to check that," Rose said, darting toward the console and leaving Hux alone.

He relaxed a little, though he strained his ear to listen. The lights were still so bright, and his head throbbed painfully.

But he sat upright when he heard the voice that filled the ship's speaker. _Dameron, that foolish Pilot_. Hux's teeth clenched, grinding against each other as he tried to catch the Pilot's words.

"Alright, Rose," Dameron said. "You're cleared for landing. Glad you made it home safe, drinks are on me tonight, okay?"

Rose replied with something non-committal which Hux found odd. _Shouldn't she be rejoicing in her victory? And wasn't she going to tell them about her prisoner? Or did they already know?_ He'd been out for some time; she could've already told them about her prisoner.

But Dameron didn't say anything further, and Hux wasn't exactly sure what to make of it. The girl had called him a Resistance prisoner, but what exactly did she plan to do with him?

_No matter._ He needed to get out, to escape somehow, before he was placed in binders in a prison cell somewhere and under constant guard. This was his only chance; it wasn't likely that he would be able to get out once they landed.

Gritting his teeth, he stifled the groan of pain as he tried to rise from the bed. It was a medical cot, used for transporting injured soldiers so he ought to be able to move it if he could walk.

As he started to rock the bed to tip it over, he heard the click of the transmission ending. He shook faster in response, trying to get mobile before his captor returned.

"What do you think you're _doing_?"

He stilled, if only for a second, and then he glowered at her.

"Let me go," he demanded, pulling with his good arm against his confines. "I'll be tortured—and stars know what else, let me go!"

She watched him struggle but didn't respond, only crossed her arms and furrowed her brows. Her eyes flicked over him, darting from his head down to his feet and back.

"I SAID-!"

"I heard what you said," she replied, arms still crossed. "You have a dislocated shoulder. Would you like me to fix it? Or do you just want to sit there and flail your arm around?"

His jaw jutted out past his front teeth, and he gave her a murderous look.

"Fine," he gritted out.

"That's not how you ask," she replied with a small smirk.

"Please…." He forced the words out.

"That's much better."

She leaned forward, one hand resting against his shoulder while the other pressed near his elbow. There was a moment of indescribable pain as she pushed hard and then a pop, and his arm was suddenly mobile.

"There you go—"

As fast as he could, Hux moved his arm up to her neck, squeezing tightly, even through the pain. She sputtered and coughed, one of her hands moved to grip his gloved fingers closing about her windpipe. He grinned maliciously, soon she'd be passed out, and he could escape.

But then something stung his arm, and he recoiled only momentarily. It was enough. Enough to notice the glint in her eyes. Plenty of time to see the small smile break over her features as his gripped loosened.

She'd stuck him with something.

"What did you-?" He started.

"Tranquilizer," she choked out, confirming his worst fears. She held it up in her other hand, the small silver rod that was a standard provision in most medkits.

_He should've known. He should've expected—_

And then everything within his vision began to swim, and he fell back onto the cart, unconscious.

**Rose.**

She drew in a breath with a gasp, his hands had been surprisingly strong. Though she had been only sort of expecting something like this, she hadn't thought he would try so quickly after she'd placed his shoulder back in the socket. That's why she'd prepared the tranquilizer, ready to put him back to sleep at a moment's notice. Even so, his reaction was far faster than she'd anticipated, and she would need to remember that for the future.

She gave him one cursory look over before she entered in the landing instructions for the craft and then took her bags and piled them on top of him carefully, praying silently to whatever gods might listen that she be able to pass him off as a pile of luggage.

She did take care to arrange the blanket over him so he should still be able to breathe, but she wasn't certain that it would be difficult to tell that there was a person underneath her things. It was a gamble, all of it.

The minutes ticked by as she waited for the ramp of her small Mandoan light cruiser to come down and she was finally able to march off the vessel, towing her gear on top of Hux. Every slight jolt of the ramp sent her heart thundering in her chest. If anyone noticed, he was as good as dead.

What bothered her more, was the fact that she didn't like the idea of him dying. She'd seen enough death and destruction to last her a lifetime and adding him to the pile just made her gut wrench with indescribable guilt.

Poe and Finn stood near the bottom of the ramp to greet her, both faces alight with excitement.

"You did it!" Poe whooped, dragging her away from her luggage and pulling her into a hug. Finn followed suit, clapping her on the back. She was smaller than both of them by several centimeters, so she felt sandwiched for a moment before they pulled apart. Not that she was complaining.

"Nice to know your invention works, huh?" Finn said with a grin.

Rose glanced back at her luggage, anxiously.

"Yeah, I'm just a bit tired." She said, hoping to dismiss them so she could take her things back to her apartment as quickly as possible.

"But I thought we'd get some drinks and—" Poe started.

"Dude," Finn said, cutting in, "she's tired. We can do drinks tomorrow night."

"Oh," Poe acknowledged. "Sorry, yeah. We can do drinks tomorrow night then."

"Great," Rose said as she dashed back to her luggage and began heading in the direction of the docking bay lift.

Poe and Finn followed behind her making jokes and reminiscing about battles. Rose only half listened. She was too busy trying to focus on keeping Hux stable under the blanket.

She swallowed. _Deep breath Tico, deep breath._

Under Hux's weight, the medical cot proved to be difficult to maneuver over the lip of the lift and Poe and Finn had to help her roll it over the metal piece. The cot hit the floor of the lift hard, and for a moment Rose was sure that Hux would just roll off the cot and expose them both.

"Kriff," Finn said with a laugh. "How much stuff did you bring with you? That must weigh over 80kgs."

Rose laughed uneasily, "well, I mean, you know. I had to bring stuff in case I got stuck."

Poe gave her a smile and nodded approvingly, "I get it, I get it. Always be prepared."

She tried to smile at them but couldn't quite manage more than a pained expression and so took to studying the durasteel grey of the walls. It was in the reflection that she noticed there was a small bit of orange-red hair poking out from underneath the blanket. She tugged at the blanket to cover his hair and then tried leaning against the frame of the lift to look less nervous.

_Act casual._

The seconds ticked by like hours, and Rose tried to keep her breathing calm. One wrong move and they'd see Hux's foot or his hand. She had tried to secure them with the blanket, but the cart was wobbly, and she feared that if she moved too fast, the blanket might come undone.

When the lift finally reached her section of the base, she breathed a shallow sigh of relief.

"Need help to your quarters?" Finn offered.

"What, you couldn't escort me from the star system, but you can help me with my luggage?" She teased.

Finn chuckled, shrugging before he helped her lift the cot back over the lip of the lift.

"Thanks, but I got this," she replied with a smile. She'd never been a good liar, but she could sure as hell handle things on her own. _She had always been good at that._

"Alright," Poe said with a wave. He remained in the lift and leaned against the wall as the doors began to close. Finn rejoined him quickly. Obviously, both boys were happy not to have to do any more heavy lifting, and she really couldn't blame them.

"Drinks tomorrow night? After debrief?" Finn asked.

"Yep, definitely," she replied, though inside she was already trying to think of a reason she couldn't go. Some excuse that would allow her to deal with her new problem—

_Damn it._

_ She hadn't thought this through. How was she going to work with this—this prisoner in her quarters? What was she going to feed him?_

_ They lived almost entirely on rations and what if he's violent or—or—crazy or—STARS—what if he needs help using the bathroom?_

_She hadn't about any of this!_

She took off down the long hallway waving goodbye to Finn and Poe and leaving them on the lift to head towards their own quarters, or the one bar that lay at the top of the base. Her heart continued to thunder uncomfortably in her chest as she pushed the cot as fast as she could. She was nearly out of breath before she'd even passed the mess hall.

But she didn't stop. Instead, she kept a steady pace, passing the lounge hurriedly, not stopping to talk to anyone there either. She just had to get to the dorms and officer apartments and then she'd be safe.

_He_ _would be safe._

When she finally rounded the corner, she came to a slow halt. Two girls were standing outside her door. Rey and Kaydel ko Connix were waiting for her.

Their small, single-occupant apartments were all in the fourth sector of the dorms on their base, and Rose often spent time with Rey and Connix between her work shifts and on her days off. When they weren't running missions or manning recruitment scouting, they could often be found together. Over time they'd developed a close-knit friendship of sorts.

Not like Rose's connection with Paige. It was different when you'd had a real sister. But they were indeed some of her best friends.

Now, however, she wasn't certain what she could do to dismiss them. They'd no doubt expect to talk until the early hours of the morning, discussing the mission, Rose's invention, and what they planned next for the Resistance.

She had to think of an excuse, and she had to think of one fast.

"Rose!" Rey exclaimed the first to spot her. She waved excitedly and elbowed Connix in the arm.

"You did it!" Connix bellowed down the hall, paying no regard to the dirty looks from passing officers who were heading to their dorms for the night.

Rose reached them, pushing the cot ahead of her and let out a breath.

"Hey, guys."

"Poe and Finn said you were due back any minute," Rey said happily. "We thought we'd wait for you."

"Aww, thanks but—I'm super tired," Rose said. "I think I'm just going to head to bed, you know, try to catch up on some sleep."

"Oh, yeah, no," Connix replied, giving Rey a skeptical look. "Get some rest, we just—we wanted to see how you were doing after that. I know you've been on a battlefield before, but, well, this was a little different."

"We just wanted to make sure you were okay," Rey offered quietly. "It can be—it can be _difficult_ to see things like that. So, if you want to talk—"

"I don't," Rose replied abruptly. "I'm fine. Really, I just—I just need some sleep okay?"

"Alright," Rey said, giving her a concerned look. "Well uh, we'll let you get to bed then."

"Bye then," Connix said quickly, grabbing Rey's arm and tugging her away. "See you at breakfast?"

"Yeah, sure," Rose replied, giving them a wave as she keyed in her private access code to her dorm. Part of her was slightly thankful that Rey and Connix hadn't been waiting inside her apartment. They both knew her access code, and they'd sometimes wait for each other in their rooms after their shifts or pop in to borrow clothing. Perhaps she'd have to change her access code, just to be safe.

Once she was able to angle the cot into her room, she let the door slide closed behind her and then swiftly pulled her bags off Hux. With one hand, she peeled the blanket from him as well, and with the other, she felt for his pulse. It was still there, a steady rhythm against her fingers. She breathed a sigh of relief and slumped onto her old tattered couch.

She'd made it, and he was still alive. And now she had a huge problem. A tall, red-haired, sullen-faced, important, nasty prick of a problem. _What exactly was she going to do with him?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Hidden Gems**

**Chapter 4**

**Rose.**

Rose Tico flopped against the soft cushions of her small sofa and closed her eyes. Breathing in slowly, she tried to calm the cacophony inside her brain.

Finally, she sat up and looked over at the sleeping General. It wouldn't do to have him in her entryway. If anyone showed up to see her, _he_ would be the first thing they encountered, and she certainly couldn't have that. She sighed with annoyance. The best thing to do would be to put him in her room. . . in her bed.

_But then_—she thought—_where would she sleep?_

She supposed she would have to sleep on the sofa. _Wonderful, way to go, Tico. She'd really thought this through, hadn't she? _

It took some effort to steer the cot into her extremely tight bedroom space that held only a bed, a nightstand, and a small closet. It was barely a room, nearly the size of a lavatory, but it would have to do.

Positioning the cot next to the bed, she unlocked the binders from around her captive's wrist and slowly rolled him onto the mattress. He was difficult to lift and position since he was so much heavier than herself. Still, it seemed he didn't want to cooperate even in his comatose state. It was also challenging to grip onto him to move him onto the bed, and Rose found herself breathing heavy and blushing crimson before she was done. She'd had to grab hold of his belt to roll him from his side to his back, and it'd left her feeling strangely awkward.

To make matters worse, he smelled. Not unpleasantly. He smelled like cedar or pine or some other kind of tree and a little like the orange pekoe tea she used to drink with Paige. If he wasn't a murderous psychopath, she might've thought he smelled _nice_.

Once he was settled on the bed, she took to removing his clothes. _Not because she wanted to_, of course, _no_, she needed to get rid of them so she could burn them. It would be the absolute worst thing for him if he were found in her room wearing a First Order uniform.

So, she stripped him of his coat first, then his boots and socks, then his belt and trousers, and lastly his uniform shirt and undershirt. When he was down to his boxer-briefs, she decided that he was no longer intimidating. He looked just as she'd expected, pale, skinny, and more like a boy than a man. It wasn't that he had no muscle, he did, like he enjoyed doing a cardio style work rather than lifting weights. It wasn't even because he was pale really; it was that he looked so bare and helpless, and his hair all a mess made him look much younger. All of that combined made him less intimidating to her than when she'd first seen him in all black, towering above her on the _Supremacy_.

It took her only one trip to the incinerator to dispose of his clothing. Then she covered him with a blanket and handcuffed him with binders to the stiff metal frame of the bedside table. She did decide, after a moment of deliberation, to keep the wool officers coat. It smelled good, and although it was filthy, she supposed she might be able to wash it and remove the First Order patch and General's markings. Perhaps she could give the coat a new life as it were. _Maybe_. If she had time between work and reports and hiding a fugitive in her room. Even if she couldn't, she folded the coat neatly and placed it up in the top corner of her closet.

After that, she went in search of a med scanner. She needed to be sure that he wasn't suffering from any internal injuries, and she wanted to determine how long his recovery time might take. On top of that, she needed to find him some new clothes. . . It wouldn't do to keep him in her room half-naked.

**Hux. **

When Hux finally came to, he awoke, heart-pounding, and chest aching, to the terrible realization that he was naked.

Well, not _entirely_ naked. He was still dressed in his undergarments, but that was just about_ as good as naked_ as far as he was concerned. What was even worse, if that were possible, was the

fact that he was in a Resistance prison cell.

It could only be a cell, he determined, it was small and cramped, with barely enough room to stretch his legs, and of course, there was no fresher or lavatory. The room held only the bare necessities, and so he concluded that it _had _to be a cell. The girl, _Rose_, she must've turned him over to General Organa and the rest of the Resistance scum, and now he was doomed.

Rolling his head around to take stock of his surroundings, he noted something odd. There appeared to be a slightly worn poster of some kind, secured to the wall of the room. It was some group of humans and other sentient species in varying positions wearing ridiculous costumes.

He stared at the poster for far too long, trying to ascertain exactly what it was and what it meant. And he wasn't sure when the thought struck him, but he realized it was a musical group. He surmised this because one of them was holding some kind of instrument. _But why would there be a poster of a band in his cell?_

And that's when he understood.

He wasn't in a cell.

He was in her _room_.

The vicious little thing that had bitten him had brought him to her lair, and he was going to suffer whatever horrific torment she had in mind.

**Rose. **

Finding a med scanner proved to be an ordeal. Rose had never been much of a liar and trying to talk the doctors or medics into lending her one had taken quite a bit of time. She'd come up with all manner of excuses for why, at this hour of the night, she was in desperate need of such a device. When they'd finally, rather reluctantly, given in, she had to take the scanner into the shoppette with her to purchase some food for her prisoner.

She also purchased clothing, a pair of soft black sleeping trousers, and an equally soft shirt. He'd need more clothing surely, but she wasn't paid again for another two weeks, and she needed to save what she did have for such surprise expenses as a hidden captive might require. She did, however, decide that it was in her best interest to purchase some hair dye. If, and it was a very tentative _if_ Hux actually calmed down a bit and become somewhat reasonable, she might be able to dye his hair. He'd look very different from the angry and cruel General Hux with brown hair or some other color.

_Maybe he'd even thank her for saving him?_ And perhaps he'd help the Resistance? Or at least maybe he wouldn't cause them any more harm. That was all she felt she could honestly hope for.

At the last minute, she also decided to purchase him some tea. The orange pekoe tea she used to drink with Paige. Since he smelled like it, maybe he liked to drink it? She wasn't sure, but it felt like the right thing to do.

On her way out of the shoppette, she ran into Jessika Pava and Tallie.

"Hey, Rose!" Tallie waved at her from across the way. Both Jess and Tallie were dressed up, not in their usual flight attire, and they both looked like they'd been out, having a good time.

"Hey, Tallie, hey Jess," Rose offered uncomfortably. "What'cha been up to?"

"Oh, we were just out, having a drink," Jess said happily.

"A couple drinks," Tallie continued with a laugh. "What about you?"

"Just doing some – shopping, you know, needed some. . . stuff," Rose replied lamely.

"Ohhh, anything good?" Jess asked as she leaned over to inspect Rose's purchases.

She pulled back, disappointed and confused. "Ration bars and pajamas? Wow, you really live the exciting life, huh? And why you lugging around a med scanner?"

Rose tried to laugh, but it came out like a wheeze, "Yeah, uh, speaking of the exciting life, I'd better head back to my apartment. I need to get to bed so I can make the briefing tomorrow. You guys have fun."

"Yeah," Tallie replied, bewildered. "You too, Rose."

"Have a good night," Jess said, giving Tallie a raised eyebrow.

Rose hurried off, not wanting to spend one more minute in the presence of others lest she accidentally word vomit out everything she'd experienced over the past cycle. She rushed back to her apartment as fast as she could, not caring that the two pilots were staring after her.

**Hux. **

Hux closed his eyes, trying to mentally prepare himself for the torment to come. _Was she going to use an interrogation droid on him? Or did she have some other nefarious plot in mind to cause him pain and agony?_

_No, no, no, he'd come this far._ He wasn't going to let some insignificant girl from Hays Minor be his undoing.

With significant discomfort, he used his elbow to prop himself upright. He then felt a terrible shooting pain from his hip to his foot. He groaned and gritted his teeth. He had to escape, had to get out of there before she returned and did stars knew what to him.

He tugged at the binders, noting that the small silver ring they were clasped to on the nightstand gave a bit when he pulled. He jerked his hand again, watching the metal start to twist. _Stupid cheap furnishings_, the foolish Resistance would purchase something like that, poorly made—and—the slid door opened.

He halted. _She'd returned._

And she stood there, looking at him with her mouth open and her eyes wide. She was halfway between chewing a bite of something when she spoke.

"How are you even awake right now? I gave you enough tranquilizer to knock you out for hours!"

"You gave me enough to knock me out for about three hours," he snapped. "And apparently, as soon as I was out you couldn't wait to strip me of my clothing and—."

She blushed furiously, but cut him off all the same, "Hey! I didn't want to take your clothes off, I just didn't want someone to walk in on you in your First Order clothing cause we all know that would end badly!"

He glowered back at her, "I'm bound to your bed. You didn't think that might be a little bit suspicious? I take it then that you haven't informed your superiors of my arrival yet?"

She swallowed.

_This was good_, perhaps he could change her mind. She hadn't turned him over yet. Maybe he could convince her to let him go or help him escape.

"I—I," she stuttered, realizing her error. "I just-I bought you some new clothes. And, I—uh I haven't told anyone you're here. _Yet_." She put particular emphasis on the word "yet" and sniffed.

Then she tossed something at him. Whatever it was struck him in the face. It was soft and dark, and he realized that it was clothing. No doubt she expected him to dress himself. The material was some kind of fleece and used his free hand to open the trousers and slide them onto his legs while she watched.

The shirt, however, he wasn't able to pick it up because when he went to lift his arm, the pain in his shoulder was too great. He looked back at Rose expectantly.

"Well?" He barked. "Are you going to help me, or are you going to just gawk at me all day?"

She snapped her mouth closed quickly and darted over to his side, where she picked up the shirt and pulled the hole over his head, then she slipped his free arm through the sleeve. The problem would be that she needed to unlock him to put his arm through the other sleeve.

She pulled back and gave him a hard stare, "I'm going to unlock you, for a second, just to get you dressed. There's nowhere for you to go, you'll be recognized immediately. If you try to hurt me or getaway, then I'll scream, and I'll tell everyone you're here, got it?"

Hux nodded slowly, "understood."

Out of her breast pocket, she pulled a keycard and leaned over him for a moment before she slid the card against his binders and let them fall away. Then, very deliberately, she lifted the shirt sleeve and pulled his arm through the hole.

**Rose. **

Hux watched her intently as she lifted his arm through the sleeve, and as she moved to pull away, he startled her by gripping her wrist tightly.

"I'd like you to remember," he whispered, his hot breath against the side of her face. "Remember how well I'm cooperating, won't you?"

Then he released her, and she slapped the binders back on his wrist and to the nightstand as swiftly as she could. Her heart was thundering; he could've – well, he could've done just about anything. But he was trying to cooperate.

He sat silently, staring at her, his green eyes unblinking.

"Are you—are you hungry?" She asked.

"Yes," he replied evenly, still not looking away.

"Oh, I-," she paused. "I brought a med scanner, I need to check you out before you eat anything, okay?"

He pursed his lips but nodded.

"I'll go get it," she said, turning to leave the room. "You just sit right there!"

"As if I could leave," Hux grumbled behind her.

She dashed out to the living room and picked up the portable med scanner. She would have to be careful scanning him and erase the databank after she finished. It wouldn't do if the doctors got a hold of the results and realized that the metrics didn't match any of their current enlisted forces.

Hux was still sitting propped up in bed when she returned, but he leaned back into the bed as she came over to his side.

Fumbling with the machine, Rose set it on the nightstand and began punching in buttons and making selections.

"Are you actually trained to use that?" Hux asked with concern.

Rose frowned at him, "Uh, mostly. I've used one before."

Hux scowled, "when?"

"Uh, when I first came to the Resistance. We were all trained initially on how to use the med scanner."

"And how long ago was that?"

"Um a few years ago," she croaked. "But I swear, I know how to—."

"Let me," Hux said, sitting up. With his free hand, he grasped the scanner and pulled it toward himself. "I've had substantial training on med scanners, and it was recent."

"You can't use it on yourself!" Rose shrieked.

"And why not?" He retorted, giving her a venomous look.

"B-because I said so!" She countered. "And I'm in charge here."

She snatched the scanner back from him and lightly pressed one hand on his chest to make him lie back down. He did so without a verbal complaint but glowered back at her.

"Oh, just stop it," she said as she lifted the scanner and ran it over his arms, his head, his chest and torso, and down his legs.

He scowled again as she passed the scanner over him a second time.

"You only need to do it once."

"I'm just being safe," she replied, embarrassed.

He snorted and shook his head as she returned the scanner back to the med unit and reviewed the results of the scan.

"And?" Hux asked, impatiently.

Rose glanced at Hux and then back to the screen.

"It's all in code, and I can't remember—"

"Let me see it," Hux said tiredly.

It took a moment for Rose to lift the med scanner and place it on his lap, allowing Hux to see the report better. He studied it, brows knit together, and teeth chewing his bottom lip.

Then he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before he looked back at Rose.

"Do you have access to bacta patches or a bacta tank or suit?"

Rose hesitated, "Well, I could get some bacta patches, but a bacta tank, I don't think I could swing that without someone figuring out that you're here."

"I see," Hux replied wearily. "Well, bacta patches would be ideal then. I have a sprained wrist, a broken foot, a fractured rib, and a concussion."

"That's it?"

"That's quite a lot, actually."

"I'm just saying it could've been worse."

"How lovely," Hux said. "When can you get bacta?"

Rose shrugged, "tomorrow. I have a briefing in the morning and then I can. I _think_. I don't know."

Hux caught her gaze for a moment, and she felt like she might cry. _Why had she put herself in this position?_

"Are you in a lot of pain?" She asked quietly, feeling her throat tighten just a fraction.

"I can deal with pain," Hux said dismissively. "Healing everything might be a bigger problem if you can't get bacta patches."

"I can!" She argued. "And I will. I'll get bacta, and you'll heal in no time, okay?"

The look Hux gave her was unconvinced, but he didn't reply. Instead, he turned his head to the wall and closed his eyes.

"I'll –I'll grab you some food," Rose said sadly. She felt horrible. This wasn't fair at all because this General had tried to kill her once. He'd also been a complete and utter ass to her, and here she was catering to his needs.

Then again, she'd made the decision to keep him alive. If she'd shot him, she wouldn't be in a mess she is now. She sighed and picked up the med scanner, carrying it out of the room and setting it back on her sofa. Reluctantly she opened the wrapper of a ration bar and brought it into Hux. He took it and devoured it in only a few bites and then looked at her expectantly like he wanted something else.

"Water?" She asked.

"Please, I'm absolutely parched."

She brought him water, too, and he drank it all.

He then ate two more ration bars when Rose offered them, and she realized, with a rather heavyweight in her gut, that he would eat much more than she could afford.

After he'd finished his food and drink, he sighed and leaned back in the bed to stare at the ceiling. Rose half expected him to fall asleep, but he didn't, and she didn't know what to do with herself.

Finally, Hux abruptly sat up, causing Rose to startle, and he gave her a strange look before he asked, "I don't suppose you'd allow me the use of a datapad? I'm not tired, and I usually have things to do or read."

"Well," Rose paused, thoughtfully. She could give him a datapad if she took it offline. But he might be a skilled hacker for all she knew, and maybe he could find a way to get on the holonet and notify the First Order of his location. That would be just about the worst thing possible. No, she couldn't let him use a datapad, that would be foolhardy.

She shook her head, "I don't think that's a good idea."

Hux gave something between a laugh and a judgmental snort.

"You can simply take it off the holonet, I'm sure your holonet is encrypted, and I wouldn't be able to hack it."

Rose shook her head again, "No, sorry. It's not going to happen. I can't risk it."

"Hmmmhmm," Hux murmured and leaned back against the wall. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for. But I'm not sure this arrangement is going to work out."

"What do you mean?"

Hux gave her a smirk.

"It's only a matter of time before the First Order comes looking for me."

"How would they find you?" She countered quickly. He couldn't have been wearing a tracker, could he?

At that, Hux shook his head slowly, "tsk tsk tsk," he chided. "You didn't think to disable the tracker on my belt before you brought me here? The First Order could easily have been tracking me this whole time."

Rose's heart sank, her gut tightened. This was bad. This was _very, very bad. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Hidden Gems **

**Chapter 5**

**Rose.**

Rose buried her face in her hands and paced. _This was bad, so so bad. _Normally she would've been on top of something like a tracker; she knew enough about them after all. Except for some reason, the thought hadn't even occurred to her at the moment.

Perhaps she'd been distracted after seeing all the carnage from the downed Star Destroyer, or _maybe_ her discovery of the unconscious General had been more affecting than she'd realized. Either way, she had found herself in a terrible predicament.

She could report the General to Leia or someone senior, but then they would also know she had doomed them. She would receive a reprimand or far worse. But then again, the First Order could easily arrive at any time, and if she didn't warn the Resistance, they would surely be decimated.

No matter that she had destroyed the General's clothing and with it the tracker in his belt. If the First Order had been tracking him, they would have his last location, the place where she had incinerated the tracker—the base in which much of the Resistance's military power was currently seated.

"Pardon me?" The calm voice of General Hux came from the other room. In her distress, she had paced into the kitchenette and was leaning against the countertop with both hands.

"What!?" She snapped angrily.

"I could help you," he almost purred.

She felt something at the back of her neck prickle. An instinct—a feeling she couldn't determine the meaning of, but whatever idea her guest might have, she was certain it wouldn't be good.

She made her way back to the bedroom and leaned against the open doorway. At her appearance, the General sat back up slowly and gave her a small forced smile.

"Help me how?"

"I can hack into the First Order tracking and delete the coordinates for this base," he offered it simply as if she could leave it or take it.

"You can do that?"

"I'm a General," he replied, offended. "_Of course_ I can do that. I have access. I would just need to use the holonet."

Rose stood solemnly, staring at her captive, arms crossed. "You think I would let you near the holonet while you're my prisoner?"

Hux gave her a contemptuous look, "It doesn't seem like you have much choice."

"Only because I haven't thought through all the options yet."

"And what exactly _are_ your options?" Hux asked, raising his brows. "You don't know the First Order systems like I do. By the time you figured them out and were able to get in, it would be too late. And what happens if the First Order comes here? Is your precious Resistance prepared to withstand the full might of the _entire_ First Order?"

Ice flooded Rose's veins, and her heart began pounding, she looked down at the ground. Hux was right. She hated it, but he was right. There wasn't much she could do. Gritting her teeth, she straightened, resigning herself. She would have to be very, very careful while he did it.

She crossed her arms and glared at Hux, but he smiled back at her, a smug and vaguely pretentious look as he leaned against the headboard of the bed.

"If I were let you hack the First Order and disable your tracker—what's in it for you? Why would you agree to help me? Don't you want the First Order to show up and bomb us and save you?"

At this, Hux frowned again and looked away, "contrary to what you might think, I'm in no hurry to return home. Besides, I don't want the First Order to bomb your base as much as I do want to return to my ships. I think there's a way we can do it with minimal fatalities. After all, I could very well end up being one of the casualties of a bombing."

It made sense. Unfortunately, he was making a lot of sense. But she couldn't help the nagging feeling that he had another agenda. Exactly what, she didn't know. But she'd learned to trust her gut, and she knew that there was something else he was interested in. She would just have to figure out what it was, because she didn't have much choice right now but to trust him.

—

**Hux.**

His jailer eyed him suspiciously, but Hux didn't look away this time. He needed to appear sincere, and he couldn't give her any reason to doubt him. He didn't particularly want Ren to pick him up by tracking, it would look horrible for him. Supreme Leader Kylo Ren would no doubt demote him, or worse. If he knew the General was alive after the destruction of his Star Destroyer—Hux would most certainly face a severe reprimand for his failure. He shuddered at the thought.

No, if he were to return to the First Order, he would need to arrive with new information regarding the Resistance, and he was in the prime area to collect such intel. He could use this to his advantage and potentially earn himself a better role in the First Order—Grand Marshall, perhaps?

The question was whether or not the girl would fall for this false sincerity.

She let out a sigh and licked her lips, then gave a resentful slump of her shoulders.

"Alright, fine. We'll do it your way. But I'm going to watch you the entire time, and if I see you trying to send any coded information to the First Order, you're done. I'll tell General Organa that you're here even if it gets me demoted."

"Very well," Hux said with a grin. "We'd better do it now. While they might still be dealing with the remains of my ship."

Rose yawned suddenly and stretched, "I'll grab my datapad and some tea. Do you want any tea?"

"Tea?" Hux asked, surprised, for some reason, he hadn't assumed she drank tea. He'd imagined she was a rather religious caf drinker, though he couldn't account for why.

"Yeah, I have some—_one_—kind of tea. If you'd like some?"

Hux didn't think she would try to poison him, at least not yet. So he nodded, almost gratefully and sank back into the rough fabric of the pillow and closed his eyes. He wasn't tired, but he was in pain from his injuries. In fact, his entire body was a mess of aches and throbs. He was almost afraid to move, lest he cause himself further harm.

Thankfully his captor returned quite quickly with a datapad under her arm and two mugs of hot tea. Hux sat up expectantly and watched her as she set the mugs down on the small bedside table. Then she did something that surprised him as she hopped over him and settled into the minimal space on the bed between himself and the wall. The side of his arm was pressed against hers, and it made Hux frown in annoyance.

Without thinking, Hux inched away from her. He didn't like the slight contact of her shoulder against his, so he moved till he was half off the bed. She didn't seem to notice. Instead, she lifted the datapad up and opened the screen then held it out to him.

He frowned at her and blinked. _Surely she didn't think he was going to do this one-handed?_

But she blushed for a moment before she let the datapad drop into her lap, and then she leaned over him and unlocked the binders.

He gave her an appreciative nod and then reached for the datapad, but she snatched it away.

"Hey," she said meaningfully. "If you do anything stupid, I'll make you pay. You got it?"

The only thing he did to acknowledge her was another small nod, and then he took the datapad from her.

— —

**Rose.**

She watched his fingers typing nimbly on the datapad, his brow furrowed in concentration. Absently, she noticed that he chewed his bottom lip as we worked, pausing for a moment to reach out and grasp one of the mugs, taking a long sip. His tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip before he chewed it, a gesture Rose found to be quite interesting.

Humanizing in a way. He'd still appeared to be the callous General of the _Supremacy_, but he was surprisingly human.

Rose's eyes darted from her captive's face to the datapad as she studied his work. He had a strange aura of calm about him that, for some reason, put Rose at ease. As he worked, Rose found herself staring at the side of his face, taking stock of the slight dip of his nose and small creases in his forehead.

In fact, his eyelashes were orange, just like his eyebrows and his hair. To be honest, she'd thought his hair color wasn't natural, but after seeing the bright color of his lashes, she knew he was indeed a ginger.

It was a beautiful color, bright and eye capturing, such an appealing shade too. A strand of hair fell into his eyes as he leaned forward. That's when Rose realized she was staring, she looked away embarrassed. Then she glanced back, she was supposed to be watching the datapad, _not_ his—rather fascinating—face.

His lips pressed together in concern as his eyes roved the datapad, he didn't turn to look at her as he said.

"I think that will do it." He blinked and took another sip of his tea and then leaned back against the bed and groaned. "Have a look, make sure I've kept my word."

Rose took the datapad from his lap, ignoring how he froze when the back of her knuckles grazed his thigh. She reviewed the command sequences he'd initiated and swallowed before she gave him a nod.

"Okay," she sighed. "Do it."

His green eyes met hers, burning with an intensity that made Rose's cheeks heat. She looked away first and cleared her throat.

"Go on."

He didn't avoid her eyes as he slid the datapad from her fingers. One quick tap of his finger and the sequence was initiated.

**Hux.**

He watched her as she snatched the datapad back and climbed over him then smoothly clicked the binder around his wrist. She stood there for a moment, looking at him almost sorrowfully before grabbing the other mug of tea and dashing out of the room, leaving him alone on the bed.

It wasn't long before he heard her banging around in the other room, and then she popped her head back in the bedroom. She was dressed in an oversized shirt, and her hair fell loosely around her shoulders as she stepped in and handed him a blanket.

"I—I'm going to bed," she said hesitantly. "I have to work tomorrow, get some—more—rest, okay?"

He shrugged and used his free hand to drape the blanket over his long legs. It was comfortably warm within the bed, her residual body heat still left on the mattress. A fragrance drifted up from where she'd sat next to him, something floral, though he couldn't put a name to it. It reminded him that he must smell terrible.

He felt disgusting, coated in the remnants of dried sweat and blood.

Though she had tried to clean him up, he was still in desperate need of the fresher. But he wouldn't push his luck today. He would try tomorrow and see where it got him.

"Thank you," he said quietly, not looking at her. "For rescuing me and everything else."

Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw the side of her mouth quirk into a smile before she muttered a soft, "welcome," and disappeared back into the other room.

Hux stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. This woman was clearly too kind and too empathetic for her own good. He could certainly use it to his advantage, and he fully intended to. One couldn't be kind in this galaxy. It was weakness, his father had always warned him. Kindness always returned to stab you in the back, that much Armitage Hux knew.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hidden Gems**

**Chapter 6**

**Hux. **

It was the middle of the night cycle when Armitage Hux awoke with a start. He looked around the room frantically, heart pounding, trying to figure out what had woken him from his slumber. He strained in the darkness, hoping to hear something.

A strange, muffled noise came from the other room, sounding like a rasp or sudden intake of breath. It took him a few minutes to determine what exactly the noise was, however.

_She's crying,_ he thought to himself, frowning. _Why was she crying?_

He lay awake, staring up at the ceiling and listening to the quiet sobs of his captor. Something white-hot and painful, coiled in his stomach.

_She shouldn't be crying, she ought to be celebrating her victory. What reason did she have to weep? _

It left an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he listened. He did not fall back asleep until her sobs faded into soft snores. Only then was Hux able to close his eyes, swallow the lump that had built in his throat, and return to sleep. 

**Rose. **

It had become an almost nightly occurrence. Rose would dream of Paige, dream of their home on Hays Minor, and then wake up sobbing. That was one reason she did not like to think about Paige during the day, it always caused a lump to form in her throat and tears to prick her eyes, and she did not want to hear about it from anyone. Not that her friends would ridicule her or anything. But she did not want to feel like she had to justify her rank or her job. And she was sure that there were always people who would use her emotional outbursts against her.

She couldn't deny it. She had always felt like such an imposter, undeserving of her titles. She was a hard worker, she knew that, but she wasn't like Paige. Everything had come easier to her older sister.

This was why she rarely thought of Paige, why she tried to sometimes push the memory from her. She had to be strong, she had to show everyone that she could handle it on her own. Paige was always the one that everyone had looked up to, she was the smart one, the talented one, the beautiful one.

_And Rose._

_She was just the little sister._

It was moments like that when Rose felt so horribly guilty that Paige had died. If the universe was going to take one of them, why hadn't it been Rose?

She sniffed loudly and then clamped a hand over her mouth and held her breath. Listening quietly, she determined that her captive was still asleep. _She hadn't woken him, thank the stars. Could she imagine a more embarrassing scenario? _

He, no doubt, would assume she was weak and frail, and he'd find a way to use this new knowledge against her. She was sure of it.

Rose tossed, wrapping the blanket around her tighter and squeezed her eyes closed, trying desperately to keep her sobs to herself until she finally drifted off to sleep.

**Hux.**

The next day Hux awoke in a fog, a loud blaring alarm sounding in his ear. Panic flooded him, was there an emergency aboard the _Finalizer_?!

_EEEEEEeeeeeeeeeOOOOOOOOOOOoooooopppppp EEEEeeeeeeoooooooooop! _

He sat up quickly, not realizing he was still handcuffed to the bedside table and was promptly slammed back down onto the bed.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry," Rose said, darting into the room and smashing her hand down on top of the chronometer. "I thought I turned my alarm off, I cannot believe—a—are you okay?"

Hux swallowed and blinked, using his free hand to rub the back of his neck.

"That was the most unpleasant wakeup I've ever—yes, I'm fine. Only startled," He said with a grimace.

Rose looked down at him with the strangest expression; he couldn't fathom what she was thinking, but her eyes were wide, and her mouth was pinched.

"Did you—uh, did you sleep okay?" She asked softly, looking down. If he didn't know better, he would think she was shy.

"As well as can be expected. I take it that we didn't get bombed last night, which leads me to believe that we were successful with changing the coordinate code," he said dryly, propping himself up slowly. His whole body ached, which, all things considered, was not out of the norm.

He was used to the daily beatings, well, he was used to Kylo Ren. At least today, he could rest and heal and hopefully come up with a plan to steal information and escape. But his first priority was the fresher.

"Yeah, I—uh guess. Do you need to use the fresher? I have a vacc tube here, but if you need a wash, then we have to use the fresher. I haven't had a house guest since I was a teen so—." She stopped talking suddenly and smacked her forehead with one hand. "I don't know what's wrong with me right now."

Her face flushed bright red as she looked around, avoiding Hux's eyes.

"Guest?" Hux replied with a smirk, "Is that what I am?"

She didn't respond, nor did she look up at him.

_Curious, indeed._

**Rose. **

She felt like an idiot. She was _definitely _not ready for this. Having a General, especially _this _General in her room, was a mistake. If she wasn't careful, she was going to give away some important top-secret information. Then he would probably murder her and then she'd get in trouble with General Organa and then she'd die again out of sheer shame and humiliation.

But right now, she couldn't think of any way to get Hux out of the base that wouldn't cause her to get caught.

"The fresher would be ideal," Hux continued, still smirking. "I'm filthy."

"Uh, huh," Rose said, her face still warm. For some reason, the way he said _filthy_ made her cheeks even hotter. "Well, we share the fresher. Ten or eleven of us to one, so I have to check it out—make sure it's safe for you. Can you hold on for a second?"

"It appears I have no choice."

Hux frowned at her but leaned back against the pillow.

"I'll be right back. I'm usually up before everyone anyway, so we'll probably be okay."

Rose grabbed her robe off the back of her door and slung it on as she trudged out the door. The fresher wasn't too far away from her room, but it was far enough that she might get noticed. Especially if she had a tall, attractive, injured stranger with her.

Stars help her if she ran into Kaydel or Rey. They'd either immediately recognize the General or make it very apparent that they were excited about finding Rose with a man in a certain state of undress. Rose wasn't sure which scenario she liked less.

The fresher was a large room with a row of sinks and mirrors along the outside wall. Past the lockers and sinks, stood another separate room full of sanisteam units, each divided with privacy screens. They were large enough for two people and held all the amenities needed for sanitization.

Thankfully, it was far too early for anyone to be using the fresher. Often at this time in the morning, there was the odd one or two cadets. But Rose was an early riser, she liked to be the first to the job site, and so she woke up before everyone else.

Now she just needed to figure out exactly how she was going to do this. No matter what she did, she doubted that it would be pleasant. Hux didn't seem like he particularly liked receiving help, and she was confident he would make this experience as painful as possible.

**Hux. ******

Rose was gone for only a few minutes before she popped her head back into the room and turned to open one of the closets that were built into the wall of her bedroom. She pulled out a dark piece of clothing and then whirled back to face Hux.

"I'll give you 10 minutes in the fresher, but if anyone sees you or stops us—well, you have to tell them that you're new, just transferred here. A-and you're my—boyfriend or something. You know, otherwise, I'm sure people will wonder why we're together so early in the morning," she rambled, face crimson.

Hux blinked, "you want me to lie and tell any resistance personnel that stops us that I am your paramour? I highly doubt—."

The dark piece of clothing hit him in the face, and momentarily stunned him. He yanked it off with his free hand before continuing.

"This is absurd, I don't need to pretend to be your lover if anyone stops me, I can tell them I'm a consultant engineer who's working on a project with you."

_He was livid. How dare she presume to order him around; did she think she was in charge? _

"Put that on," she said with an air of determination. "And uh—yeah, I like your plan better than mine. We'll do that. You're a consultant engineer, and we're working on a project. I don't normally shower with my coworkers like this, but I guess it'll work."

Hux froze, finally comprehending. She wasn't going to allow him to shower on his own. Either because he was her prisoner or because he was injured, probably both. But she planned to go into the shower with him.

"Absolutely not," he argued. "I will _not_ shower with the likes of you."

Rose looked up at him and blinked, "you think I want this? Well, I don't. I certainly don't want to see your pasty body and orange body hair, but do you have a better idea? Because I can't leave you alone, and on top of that, you're hurt and probably can barely walk. So, you tell me. I'm open to suggestions."

Hux licked his lips and grimaced.

_This was bad. This was very, very bad. He didn't want to strip down in front of this girl—woman—whatever she was. She-devil, of that he was quite certain. She might see something. And that would not do. It wasn't appropriate. In fact, it was utterly inappropriate, and his sense of propriety wouldn't allow for it. _

Besides, if she did see him. _All of him, what might she think? What might she say? _He was sure his fragile ego couldn't handle any ridicule at the moment.

He glared at her, trying to cow her into submission with his eyes, but she just stared back at him un-moving. Then she shook her head and reached for the binder that was locked around his wrist.

"You know, maybe, we can just be—back to back? As long as you promise not to try to run away or do anything stupid. I won't look, and if you promise not to look either then—well, I think we can get through this, okay?"

Hux felt his resolve wilt significantly as she unfastened the binders, and he tried to stand. He put one foot down and hissed through his teeth in pain.

She was right, it appeared he did need help to walk after all. 

**Rose. **

Once she had removed his binders, she helped slide the dark wool poncho over him and pulled the hood up to cover his bright orange hair.

Rose thought it was far too eye-catching, so it was best to cover it up. Otherwise, he might be spotted from far away, and stars knows that would cause an issue.

It took them a bit of time to reach the fresher. Rose was under Hux's arm, letting him settle most of his weight on her shoulders. He was tall, much taller than her, and she felt very tiny next to him. Not that she was little. In fact, she was almost sure that they weighed about the same, but he was just stretched out, and she was compact.

When they reached the sanisteam, she helped pull the poncho off Hux and then pulled a stool into the sanisteam unit closest to the exit.

"Okay, I'm just going to help you undress, I promise I won't look," she said, feeling like she was reassuring a child.

It was apparent to her that Hux had as much of a body image issue as she did. Which was funny because she'd never really thought people could be embarrassed about being skinny. _Isn't being skinny what people always wanted to be? Or maybe it was because he was a man and traditionally, he wasn't supposed to be skinny?_ Either way, it was all ridiculous. He was a grown man and at least 8 or 9 years older than her, and if anything, _she_ should be the one with the issue about getting naked. Not this veteran General.

Hux didn't respond at all as she lifted and pulled the thin cotton shirt over his head. He did, however, wince slightly as her finger ran over the bare skin of his side. She tried not to notice, she tried not to actually look, but it was nearly impossible not to stare.

Although he was thin, there was the slight curve of muscle in his arms and on his chest, as though he was someone who had tried very hard to gain muscle by lifting weights but had then resigned himself to more active training. His stomach, however, looked soft and vulnerable, and it gave Rose a strange urge to poke it, though she managed to restrain herself.

He was also incredibly pale, with skin so white it made her want to touch, just to see if it was real. His collarbone and shoulders were dusted with freckles, but he had remarkably little hair. The thin trail of orange hair that started just below his navel was still there, and Rose still wondered if it went all the way down, but she forced herself to look up and away as she helped him out of his trousers.

Once he was naked, she helped him sit on the stool she'd brought for him, and then she undressed as quickly as she could and dashed into the sanisteam behind him.

**Hux. **

Hux was quite certain he'd never been through a more humiliating ordeal. She was slow and deliberate as she undressed him, and that made him feel horribly uneasy. He couldn't account for the way his heart began to thud uncomfortably in his chest at her gentle touches.

So, he held very still, just to be safe. He wasn't sure if this adrenaline rush was because he knew that if he was healthy, he could've wrestled her to floor and—_and_—um-uh escaped, yes. Yes, he could've wrestled her to the floor and then fled.

His face flushed as he tried to chase the images away that suddenly filled his brain. He looked away from her as she helped him to the stool.

Everything in his body was suddenly on fire, and he needed to stay focused. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her.

She stood in his peripheral vision, just out of reach, as she stepped out of her own trousers and he could see the curve of hips and breasts and he swallowed thickly. She finished stripping down and then darted behind him, and he loosed a breath and bit the inside of his cheek.

Then he sucked in a surprised breath as he suddenly felt warmth and the soft lather of soap. _She was washing his back_, very gently and he—he closed his eyes and reveled in the sensation.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hidden Gems**

**Chapter 7**

**Hux.**

She stood in his peripheral vision, just out of reach, as she stepped out of her trousers, and he could see the curve of hips and breasts, and he swallowed thickly. She finished stripping down and then darted behind him, and he loosed a breath and bit the inside of his cheek.

This was terrible. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined he could get stuck in this sort of predicament. Especially not while a captive. Being in the clutches of a Resistance member, and this one in particular—the biter—he would have expected maltreatment. Though potentially, this was a torture of another kind.

He sucked in a surprised breath as he suddenly felt warmth and the soft lather of soap. _She was washing his back_, very gently and he—he closed his eyes and reveled in the sensation.

**Rose.  
**

Her eyes traced the naked skin of Hux's back. It was strange to see him—so vulnerable. His body was covered in bruises and scars, thin white lines crossing from one shoulder to the next. They made a star pattern covering much of his back as if he had been hurt during a big explosion or something. 

She tried to be gentle as she used the loofah provided in the wash station to clean his back and the sides of his arms. He was thin, but he didn't look bad, in fact, he had some definition of muscle. He was fit. He was healthy. It all made Rose feel strange. Because this meant something, washing someone like this. It was so very intimate. 

Moreover, the snaking lines across his back meant something too. She wasn't sure what, but they made her gut clench tightly as she studied them. 

He'd known some sort of violence. His scars told a story, and she wanted to know what had happened. But she wouldn't ask. Because it wasn't her business. And besides, she knew that visible scars were only half of it. Invisible scars were sometimes much worse. 

Shaking her head, she blinked it away and tried to focus on her job. She needed to get him clean and then get them out of here. But it was proving challenging to focus when he was right there in front of her, taking up all the shower space, not to mention all her brain space.

Also, she was rather amazed that he appeared to be the same skin color over the entirety of his body, aside from all the bruises and scars, of course. 

It made her think of Poe, who had a thing about his shirt. He liked to find any excuse to take it off. That wasn't bad either, Rose did not mind shirtless Poe, he was perfectly lovely to look at, but often Poe did it because he wanted to get what he called a "full-body tan" which was ridiculous because he was already tan, but whatever, Rose didn't care. 

The thing that genuinely irritated Rose was something else, perhaps Poe's lack of common decency or maybe his self-confidence. It was also because Poe was one of those men who was so aware of how pretty he was, that it bothered Rose. When someone _knew_ they were attractive, well, that was just, so—annoying. 

This probably irritated Rose a lot because she didn't feel like she always looked pretty. Instead, she felt like some days she could clean up and look incredibly good, eye-catching even, but on others, she rather resembled a Croke. It was so easy for people like Poe. 

Her eyes fell back to Hux's creamy white skin, dotted with a small number of freckles across his shoulders. 

Maybe Hux just never saw the light of day, perhaps he never went outdoors. Maybe that's why he was so pale. It didn't really matter. She swallowed heavily as she let the loofah glide over his shoulders. 

It was just a little strange now, she could get used to this. It wasn't the worst thing that could happen to her. She could be trapped taking care of a baby Hutt—eww—or it could've been someone not as easy to look at. 

Because Hux was good-looking. There was something about him, his slightly pinched expression, and his closed-off way of speaking that broached no argument. He also had a very nice nose, it was so straight, but then right at the end there was a little —well, she couldn't quite think of how to describe it, but it was—cute. 

But that wasn't all. Hux was handsome for a myriad of different reasons. He was intelligent and well-spoken, and he'd certainly piqued her interest—uh, or her curiosity. Not in a sexual way, just the normal way a girl might find a man intriguing. Or maybe it was because she hadn't been naked with a guy for—how long now? She couldn't quite remember. But here she was, washing the First Order General's back like—like he was her boyfriend. 

It was all so comical, so ridiculous, and it made her want to snort with laughter. 

But she held it in. She didn't want him to think she was laughing at him, because he definitely seemed like the kind of man who'd think she was laughing at him.

**Hux.  
**

He leaned back into the warmth of Rose's touch, and before he could help it, he let loose a soft sound, somewhere between a moan and a sigh. Then he snapped his mouth closed quickly, cursing himself, while his cheeks reddened brightly, and his stomach lurched strangely. He shouldn't have made that noise. 

But she didn't comment on the embarrassing sound, for which he was thankful. 

"I'll just do your hair next," she said in a strained whisper. 

"You don't have to," he replied anxiously, "I can manage." 

Rose snorted, "no, you can't, you can barely lift your arms. Just hold still." 

He did as he was told, he sat still, and he realized he'd never felt so—so uneasy. He was itching to move, to break away from the constant contact of her. There was never a time in his life that he longed to be touched, no, he knew what it meant. 

_They always caressed before and after they hit. That, he knew.  
_

He flinched visibly when Rose squirted cold shampoo onto the top of his head, and he felt her fingers scrape against his scalp. Now that touch felt—strangely calming. It felt wonderful, so deliriously good, and he knew that meant that he should brace himself for the other shoe to drop. So, he bit the inside of his cheek, he couldn't allow any more little noises to escape. He bit down hard. 

Warm water spilled over his head, and then he felt her fingers running through strands of his hair to rinse the shampoo. Another cold squirt of something and her fingers carding through his hair again, and he closed his eyes. Her fingernails brushed his sideburns, and he shivered involuntarily. 

It was comforting somehow, but it felt foolish, like pampering, like a luxury—like a waste of time. He was used to a brisk dip in the fresher, not longer than five or ten minutes, and he was done. This felt incredibly excessive. 

And still. For some reason, he didn't ask her to hurry up. 

Because it also felt…well, it also felt nice, but more than that. It felt like—a memory—from another life. Someone running their fingers through his hair. Someone tittering over him and caressing him gently, a whisper in his ear of _Armitage, darling_ and a gentle press of lips on his forehead. 

It was similar to that memory, but also different. This experience made his skin prickle with goosebumps and left his heart beating rapidly in his chest. 

Still, yes, it reminded him of a long-lost memory. He exhaled slowly, trying with difficulty not to make any more mortifying sounds.

**Rose.  
**

She took her time working through Hux's hair. It was so fine and silky, and she was actually having a bit of fun just dragging her nails across his scalp. He leaned into her fingers, like an over-eager puppy receiving a good head scratch, and she tried not to laugh. 

_Goodness, has anyone ever touched him like this? _

He made a little sound that was half pleasure and half need, and it caused something inside her to twist unexpectedly. But she hesitated for a second upon feeling it, she really shouldn't be feeling anything for this monster.

Though that was just it, he didn't seem like the angry and condescending General Hux; now, he looked more like a needy boy, who was receiving the first kind touch he'd ever known. Her momentum slowed at that thought, and she stood there motionless, her hands resting in his hair.

It took her only a moment to snap out of it before she was rinsed the conditioner out of his hair and pulled away.

"I just need to wash my own hair, and we'll be done, okay," she said reassuringly. "Just sit tight. I'll be quick."

Hux hung his head forward, his eyes still closed, and he hummed appreciatively.

Rose was only halfway through rinsing the shampoo when the water cut out.

_Dammit,_ she thought. She'd spent too much time cleaning Hux up, and she'd run out of water before she was done. She wanted to smack herself in the face, but she refrained because she didn't wish for Hux to see her. _How could she get so easily distracted and frustrated by someone?_

If she hadn't enjoyed giving him a scrub, she would've been done by now. She'd have to wash her hair in the sink now. 

She let out a sigh and resolved that next time, she would be faster. Not that there would be many next times, soon Hux would be healed, and she would find a way to get him out of the Resistance and —in turn—out of her life.

**Hux.  
**

When the water stopped, Hux was jolted out of his reverie, and he almost turned right around but remembered just in time.

_Not supposed to look._

A tiny bit of guilt twinged inside him when he finally did see Rose. She was wrapped in a towel, but her hair hung down damp and limp with obvious signs of soap still lingering, and she didn't look nearly as refreshed as Hux felt. She kept her eyes up and, on his face, as she helped him wrap himself in a towel and then supported him as they limped back to her quarters.

He was extremely thankful for the silence as they walked. For some reason, he couldn't quite figure out, he felt strange. Something inside his chest was burning while his head was a mess of confusion. It was incomprehensible how she treated him. He was a prisoner, her enemy no less, and she had fed him and bathed him and, for all purposes, had saved his life.

She hadn't interrogated him or tortured him like he'd expect, because that was the normal thing to do. She'd even given up her own bed. All to what end? He couldn't be sure.

It wasn't enough for him to trust her. She was still Resistance scum, and he would hardly expect her to be honest with him. Besides, he guarded his trust quite zealously. He wasn't about to allow two days of polite behavior from his enemy to be enough for him to call her a friend.

But—he supposed-he didn't need to be as venomous toward her as he had been previously.

_Oh, yes, this was just his plan working—for once—in his favor. This was just his way of befriending her, so her guard was lowered… Yes. But if that was the case, then why exactly did he feel guilty for being the reason she wasn't able to finish her own shower? _He couldn't entirely be sure.

They managed to return to Rose's quarters without running into anyone, which would've been a feat had they been aboard a First Order vessel. But Hux assumed that the Resistance base was significantly smaller than his own flagship.

Once they returned to Rose's room, she helped him dress back into the clothing she had provided him. Then she settled him back on her bed and clicked the binders back into place. After this, she pulled out her own change of clothing before leaving the room.

Hux lay quietly, counting the dips in the ceiling until she had returned, dressed in her engineer uniform. He looked her over, considering. She did appear professional, even in this—Resistance attire. She had looked good in the First Order uniform she'd worn when she snuck aboard his ship. But the First Order uniforms were meant to make everyone look respectable. Hux looked down suddenly, realizing he'd been staring at her.

"Will you be able to obtain any bacta today?" He asked, hoping that he might be able to continue the painstakingly long business of recovery from his wounds.

Rose hesitated, "maybe, I'm not sure, it all depends on how long it takes me to get through my assignments today. If nothing else pops up, I should be able to get you a few bacta patches. I can't grab too many, or they'll know somethings up."

He nodded, biting his lower lip as he sat up, "we can always prioritize the healing procedure. My broken foot and fractured rib, those need to be dealt with first. Though I'd prefer it if I could undergo a scan to determine the severity of my concussion… but I suppose we'll do what we can for now."

"After my briefing," Rose promised, "I'll see if I can switch a few assignments. After yesterday, well, I think I could convince people I need a little break."

**Rose.**

Although she hated to do it, she could get out of some work today. She would undoubtedly be receiving a warm welcome from her allies after bringing down a Star Destroyer, especially one so coveted as the _Finalizer_. That might buy her a little sympathy.

"I need to head out, but—I'll grab you some food and water, okay?" She asked.

His green eyes met hers, lingering for a moment before he looked away, "food and water would be excellent, thank you."

She almost smiled, but then he muttered under his breath, "even if it is those disgusting Resistance rations."

"Wow, pampered much?" she said, rolling her eyes. _What a prissy jerk._ "You know, beggars can't be choosers, right? You don't get much of a choice when you're a prisoner."

His head snapped back up, and he blinked, eyeing her with annoyance.

"I am used to a certain kind of lifestyle," he said finally, "one you obviously wouldn't understand."

"Why? What kind of lifestyle? What, do you eat children for breakfast or something?" She snorted, spitting back with an equal measure of frustration. "Seems like something you First Order folk would enjoy."

Hux gawked at her, but she could tell his feigned shock was only hiding some other emotion. It took Rose a moment to realize what she'd said. His eyes glimmered, wet and dangerous for a fraction of a second before he looked away from her and down at the bed.

_He must still be thinking of the stormtrooper program. All those younglings. _

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean—." She said quickly. Why was she always putting her foot in her mouth?

"You didn't mean to insult me?" He replied, looking back up at her. Whatever she'd seen a moment ago was gone, replaced by the cold, and calculating glare she recognized.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

He pursed his lips, looking angry now, and when he spoke, there was a tremor underlying each word.

"You didn't hurt my feelings, you insulted me. You insulted my work, and you insulted the younglings who died aboard my ship. Those younglings were my responsibility, and I failed them. I take full responsibility. But you don't need to joke about their deaths."

_What could she say? It was his fault the children were there. It was his fault because he was part of the First Order. So, what could she even say? Did she even want him to feel better about it?_

"You're right," she said slowly. "I was trying to insult you, but not about that. I—I don't think it's funny to joke about the cost of life." She felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She was dangerously on edge today, seeing Hux so vulnerable in the fresher, and her dream about Paige last night had done this to her.

And honestly, she hadn't meant to make a joke about the younglings. They'd been someone's children. They were stolen from their families. It was the equivalent of over a thousand Finns. . . and she'd killed them.

She sucked in a breath, trying to keep the guilt and tears at bay. If only Paige was here, Paige would know what to say. She always did. Rose missed her sister fiercely in that moment. She tried to think about what Paige would say.

"I'm not proud of their deaths," she whispered. "If I'd known how many younglings were on board—I would've picked a different target. I would've—I would've—."

She hiccuped, sobbing finally, and the tears streamed down her cheeks; she couldn't hold them back any longer. She hiccuped again, embarrassingly loud this time, and wiped her nose.

Hux just stared at her, mouth half open and brows furrowed.

**Hux.**

Her sobs were pain-filled, and each one felt like an icy dagger plunging into his stomach, _what had he been thinking_? _He should've just been quiet, but isn't that what he did? Didn't he always needle others until they had no other choice but to lash out at him?_

He'd done it with his father, with countless superiors, and of course with Kylo. _He couldn't stop himself. He didn't know how. He enjoyed pushing people._

But one thing he found confusing and particularly distasteful was weeping. It made him uncomfortable because he no longer felt in control of the situation. He wasn't sure what to do.

"Please—don't," he said quietly. "It—neither of us can really expect—there will always be casualties, there's nothing we can do now."

She looked up at him, confused. "We can stop fighting. There wouldn't be _any_ casualties if it wasn't for the First Order."

Hux's face burned with sudden fury, "you think the First Order is to blame for this? For the war?"

He shook his head, such foolishness. _Did she really believe there weren't youngling casualties on both sides of this war? It was absolutely ridiculous, this pure love she seemed to hold for her Resistance. _

_Childish dogma. _

"Then you have no idea what the Republic was capable of," he spit back. "You think the Republic was good, and just, is that it?"

He glared at her hatefully, "If you think the Republic was a beacon of hope to all the galaxy, then you don't know very much at all. You're completely ignorant of the evil the Republic perpetrated on numerous systems."

Rose wiped her eyes with her sleeve and swallowed down the lump in her throat.

"You're the ignorant one," she spat, "not me. You don't know anything about me, about what I've had to deal with all because of the First Order. So, don't you talk down to me like you're some high and mighty all-knowing General. You're a jerk and a pompous ass who doesn't care about anything but foolishly outdated ideologies that only benefit other people like you."

She turned on her heel and left him alone for a minute before returning and slamming a glass of water and a ration bar down on the bedside table.

"I'll see you later," she grumbled as she left.

Hux stared at the sloshing glass of water before he sighed and laid back down on the bed. There wasn't much he could do while she was gone, he might as well get some rest.

But his stomach churned with indescribable guilt, and his heartbeat violently in his chest, he stared up at the ceiling, thinking about Rose. It took him a long while before he was able to drift off to sleep.

**Rose.**

She headed out of her small apartment towards the lift, a dark cloud hanging over her after her confrontation with Hux. She only felt a little bad about how she'd treated him, but overall he didn't deserve her sympathy. Even if he'd been upset about the younglings. He was partially responsible for the fate of those children. And no manner of discussion could persuade her otherwise.

Armitage Hux was a selfish prick. Rose Tico resigned herself to her duty. She just had to get him healed and get him out of here. Then her life could go back to normal, and hopefully, she would never have to see his smug, stupid face again.


End file.
